Do you have an idea about the future of small towns? Are the ideas you see not quite hitting the mark? Propose your own idea for the future of small towns!

Rural economic development relies heavily on telecommunication services such as phone, television and internet. Rural residents usually have the same access to telecommunications services like high-speed internet as metro residents. But they are less likely to use "broadband" internet connections.

A rural disconnectSurprisingly, rural residents were more likely to have access to high speed internet than urban residents in 2002. So why are fewer interested in using it? [Source 1, Source 2]

Community technology investments pay dividendsInternet and communication experts suggest rural towns should invest in better communication technology like high-speed internet and technology to make communications cheaper and more efficient, and making the community more economically competitive. [Source 1]

Bring wireless Internet to small townsExpanding broadband access in small towns can open up a world of telecommuting and expand business opportunites. However, making homes in a small town broadband-ready by wired solutions seems awfully... Read more

Develop municipally owned broadbandI think local governments should develop their own broadband systems. Why should the money flow out of the community to big corporations when a local government can do the job at a lower cost. It wo... Read more